106 THE OECHAED AND TEUIT GABDEtf. 



nut is larger ; it is also much better for stocks for 

 peaches, and is liked in France for that purpose. The 

 nuts are an inch and a half long, dull in colour, and 

 thick and hard in the shell ; the kernels are small and 

 not fine-flavoured. 



The Amande Douce a coque tendre, or Soft-shelled 

 Sweet Almond, is budded on the others, and is grown in 

 the gardens in France, and eaten newly gathered in 

 July. The kernel is sweet and nice in flavour. The 

 shell is something like the coque dur in look and colour, 

 but it is soft; one side is often flat and the other 

 rounded. 



The Amande des Dames, or Ladies' Almond, has a soft, 

 light-coloured, porous shell, with a plump, rich, sweet 

 kernel, more than an inch long. This is dried before 

 it is eaten, and it is cultivated in the south of France 

 as an article of commerce. 



The Amande Sultana, or Sultana Almond, is like the 

 Ladies' Almond, only smaller. The Amande PistacJie is 

 similar, but smaller still. Both these are to be found 

 in the south of France, but they are not generally 

 cultivated. 



The Amande Princesse is like the Amande des Dames, 

 but the shell is thinner, and rough on the surface, 

 looking as if the outer part had been taken off. 



Of the Amande Amere, or Bitter Almond, there are 

 several varieties. The nuts differ in size, but they are 

 all dark in colour, hard in the shell, and with a peculiarly 

 fine flavour of bitter in the kernel. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



APEICOTS. 



IN choosing the young trees care must be taken that 

 the stock and scion join healthily and completely; 

 reject those in which there is an appearance of escape 

 of sap, whether they have been grafted or budded at 



